The galaxy far, far away has a human problem, and it is not the lack of chin straps on stormtrooper helmets. Since Andor wrapped its acclaimed run, Star Wars fans have been spoiled by a show that felt startlingly original: a rich political drama with morally complicated characters, many of them new. By 2026, that achievement still glows. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka had their moments, but they also arrived with the heavy luggage of beloved characters and sky-high expectations. Ahsoka Tano, however, brought something else to live-action: a nonhuman lead. She is a Togruta female, and her series was a step, however wobbly, away from the franchise's banal human-first traditions.

The Togruta in the Room

Ahsoka is not a brand-new character. She earned her stripes across The Clone Wars and Rebels, becoming one of Star Wars' most popular figures. That history makes her live-action show less of a gamble and more of a victory lap. Yet the significance is still real. A nonhuman protagonist carried a Disney Plus series, and the galaxy did not collapse. In fact, it looked better for it.

This matters because Star Wars has a troubling formula in its games. Respawn's Star Wars Jedi franchise is fantastic, with Cal Kestis as its scrappy, ginger-haired helm. But it is disappointing that a pitch for a black and/or female protagonist was reportedly declined. The franchise keeps reaching for the same human-shaped hero, as if a galaxy of thousands of species is merely set dressing.

Star Wars Outlaws continues the trend. Kay Vess is human, and she is accompanied by a droid, ND-5, and an alien companion. Both are fine. Both are also sidekicks. Outlaws led by ND-5 instead of Kay could have been equally interesting, maybe more so. A droid with a blaster and a chip on its shoulder? Yes, please. Instead, the safe choice won again.

The Human Default Is Getting Stale

A quick look at recent Star Wars leads reveals the pattern:

Andor was brilliant, but one of its few criticisms was that it predominantly featured humans and sparse alien races. The Empire apparently hired mostly humans and one guy in a cape. Even the cantinas felt like office parties. If Star Wars wants to feel like Star Wars, it should remember that the weird, wonderful alien species are not wallpaper. They are the wallpaper, the furniture, and the guy selling you death sticks.

Ahsoka having her own live-action series does not guarantee that alien races will receive more limelight in future Star Wars endeavors. It does, however, show the merit in such diversity. If Knights of the Old Republic's remake ever escapes development purgatory, it would be incredible to see alien races available in players' customization of an amnesiac Revan. Let Revan be a Twi'lek. Let Revan be a Wookiee. Let Revan be a nervous Rodian with a lightsaber and a dream.

Games like Survivor and Outlaws may always be popular because fans can see themselves represented in their protagonists. That is a legitimate joy. But it should not be left to games with character customization to represent the alien races that make Star Wars unique. A blockbuster single-player game with a nonhuman lead should not be a rare event. It should be normal.

Hope Is Not a Strategy, But It Is a Start

Quantic Dream's Star Wars Eclipse remains a tantalizing maybe, and it could feature an alien protagonist. Respawn's Star Wars FPS was once another hopeful candidate, before EA cancelled it in 2024. That cancellation stings, not only because a promising game vanished, but because it closed one more door for a nonhuman hero. The industry still has opportunities to push the envelope. It just has to stop treating human leads as the default and everything else as a quirky companion.

Ahsoka is a Togruta female, and while many of her physical features are comparable and associable to human ones, she is not human. That distinction matters. It matters in casting, in storytelling, and in the kinds of power fantasies the franchise offers. Star Wars is at its best when it feels like a galaxy, not a suburb with better public transit.

So here is a modest proposal for 2026 and beyond: let a nonhuman lead carry a major Star Wars game. Let a droid be the hero. Let a Togruta, a Twi'lek, a Wookiee, or a Mon Calamari take the wheel. The galaxy is wide. The human default is narrow. And the Force, as everyone knows, does not check species on the application form. 🚀